


A New Life

by nemuruomoi



Category: Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy X & Final Fantasy X-2, Final Fantasy X-2
Genre: Gen, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-21
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:54:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25431199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nemuruomoi/pseuds/nemuruomoi
Summary: Anima awakens after the events of X-2, into the Eternal Calm, with no idea where to go. She believes her parents are most likely dead and so is husband and son. After spending a while in nearby inns in Luca and Bevelle to deal with the problems after spending so long as a Fayth, she finally decides to call into one of the few places she dared to call home. Guadosalam's mansion has been vacated by the Leblanc Syndicate and she dared not think she'd be welcomed with open arms by its new occupant. However, she's very much surprised by the welcome she receives.
Relationships: Anima/Tromell, Anima/Tromell Guado
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a drabble that I've 'adapted' (and I say that loosely as I've copied and pasted it over, made some minor edits and removed a few paragraphs at the end in case I want to continue this on as a chaptered thing') from one of my roleplay blogs. If I feel like I could add more chapters to this or people want me to continue it on, I have a starting point.

There was a flutter of nerves in her stomach. It was something that she had experienced in years and yet, here she was. Waiting nervously at the entrance of Guadosalam with a stomach full of butterflies and a heart aflutter. One would think she was visiting a lover, not those that cast her out more than 10 years ago.

Taking a few calming breaths, Anima slowly moved into the city. Not much had changed, apart from a few less Guado and a few more Spirians. Her mind briefly wandered to the Farplane and how it was doing. It had never crossed her mind how it coped after the Fayth had stopped dreaming, much less after it had spat her back out into Spira. She briefly recalled something cause more fiends, and even the Aeons themselves, to flood into Spira some months back, but the memory was hazy at best. The thought was pushed back. It would have to wait until later. Her gaze flitted around the city. It hadn’t changed at all. It still smelled the same, of earth, flowers and people. It was almost calming.

She had spent months trying to feel like she was back to normal after finding herself back in Spira. Her ‘normal’ was entirely dependant on a few things, but regardless of where she’d been living, Anima was finally feeling more like herself. There was still a heavy weight on her shoulders, but she was hoping that this would help.

Her legs eventually brought her to in front of the Mansion, where she slowed to a stop. It looked no different than all those years ago, at least on the outside. Anima couldn’t think of a reason why it had to either. In anything, it was a testament to how strong the houses stood in Guadosalam. The roots and vines and earth that made them hardly seemed to falter. They were made of strong stuff, just like the people that owned them. Surely it had changed much on the inside. It would be foolish to leave it unoccupied for all this time. In truth, she was nervous about what lay inside. Would it's occupents be so welcoming? No guards stood before the doors. Did that mean she could walk straight in? Anima hoped so, because she was about to do so anyway.

Anxiety bubbled in her chest at the thought of pushing the doors open and walking in. The same feeling almost made her balk and turn back to Luca. The deep breath she took was shaky as she took a step forward and gave the doors a push. They opened with as much ease as they could and made Anima give them another push to open a little bit further.. Even if the mansion hadn’t been lived in, the doors were still working well.

Stepping inside, her gaze was met with the same interior as 10 years ago. It…hadn’t changed. At all. The same portraits hung on the walls, the same carpet cushioned her feet, the same branches clung to the bright green orb next to the staircase. The anxiety that had bubbled in her chest evaporated and turned into a sense of nostalgia and familiarity. In a strange sense, one that she thought she’d feel again, she felt like she was home. It no longer smelt the same, but the sense of familiarity nearly brought tears to her eyes. Hands clasped in front of her to help her keep control of her emotions. What would he think if he found her crying in the doorway?

Speaking of which, Anima hadn’t noticed a Guado standing further into the room until he approached her. She had been so focused on her surroundings that she hadn’t even thought about checking if anyone was there. She took a couple more steps in so she wasn’t awkwardly standing in the doorway. _“Welcome,”_ The man bowed his head slightly. _“Are you here to see Lord Tromell?”_ That sounded foreign to her ears. While the Guado had always been so formal, Anima had never figured that the words ‘Lord’ and ‘Tromell’ would be used in the same sentence. She had assumed she would find the man here but not in a position such as that. Anima bowed, albeit somewhat stifly, realising she'd never bowed back to the Guado before her. **“I…”** A bubble of resentment rose in her chest. These were the people that had banished her and her son all those years ago and here she was feeling nervous. Ultimately, the Guado had paid the price for what they had done to herself and Seymour, she'd seen it through his eyes and Yuna's. She swallowed the resentment and made an attempt to straighten herself. From what she had heard from others, they had already paid the price for their actions. **“Yes, I am.”** The Guado man nodded. _“Please, wait here while I fetch him. Who shall I say is calling?”_

That was when Anima’s mouth opened and then closed not once, but twice. She was unsure as to what to call herself. It had been a long time since she’d been called by her given name. **“Anna.”** The word sounded foreign to her ears and on her tongue. Her mouth felt like it had attempted to say a word in an Al Bhed rather than her own name. Again, the man nodded and headed towards the back door. And Anima was left standing in the waiting room, staring into space as she contemplated hearing herself say her own name. The feeling lingered on her tongue.

She was left in silence for a while. It could have been hours for all she knew, since that’s what it felt like. Anima barely moved, the only things that did were her eyes from looking around and her torso when she wanted to look at something different. Apart from that, she stood montionless. She was half tempted to go up and look at the portraits that hung on the walls by the stairs but she couldn't will herself to move to them. It was only when the doors to what she could assume was the dining room opened, did she move. And that was only because it startled her.

_“L-Lady Anna?”_

That voice sounded as familiar as the mansion did when she walked in. The same stammer, the same warble that she had become so used to when she lived here. Anima could feel her expression switch from one of sadness to hopefully a more convincing, plesant expression as she turned towards the voice. She could not disconcern how Tromell was feeling at her arrival from his voice alone. Maybe there was a bit of shock in there, but who knew. She had always found the Guado quite hard to read.

Well in this instance, it was fairly obvious what he was feeling. There was shock on his face. Whether or not that would turn into anger or happiness or something else, Anima couldn’t be sure, but she would tread with caution. **“Tromell.”** She bowed slightly, just as the Guado man had done with her and what she had done with him. **“Or Lord Tromell, should I say.”** Her tone was polite, slightly friendly, but there was an hint of caution in it too. Time had not changed the physical appeareance of the man, yet she would not say it had been kind to him. The lines were more defined on his face, which made him look older. He had been getting on in his years when she had married Jyscal, she couldn't imagine he was as spritly then as he was now. But here he was. The leader of the Guado.

**“I suspect you are surprised to see me.”** She was probably just as surprised as he was that she was in Spira again. Anima doubted that he knew she had become Seymour’s Final Aeon, yet if he had, she wouldn’t be entirely surprised by that. He had been Jyscal's retainer after all and Jyscal had known about her little adventure to Zanarkand. _“I-I-I…”_ Had he always had such a stutter or was it the shock at seeing her walk into his home again? He gulped and finally managed to get the words out. _“I am. Last I heard you were...”_ He trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentence that Anima very well knew the end to. Exiled. Dead. Seymour had eventually come back home but not her. If Jyscal hadn't told the man that she'd become an Aeon, he must have figured her illness had taken her life instead. **“I know.”** She said softly, her eyes trailing to the floor. There was an awkward pause. Her fingers dug into her knuckles.

Anima took a deep breath, her lips parting to speak more, her eyes lifting to meet Tromell’s, forcing herself to relax, only to be stopped at the onrush of words from the Guado’s mouth instead. _“I am deeply sorry for the Guado’s treatment towards you.”_ He bowed deeply and held it there. If he could’ve bowed more, Anima figured he would have. Surprise covered her face and her lips stayed open in surprised instead of wanting to speak. _“I hope you can accept my meager apology. While it does not undo what we did to you and Maester Seymour, I hope that what you might have heard about the Guado will let you know we have changed and deeply regret our actions.”_ He stayed bowed as he spoke, almost as if he was speaking to the floor rather than Anima. She knew better though.

Taking a few steps forward, her hands unclasping and any surprise or resentment melted, Anima stopped a few steps short of Tromell’s bowed head. She could feel the tension ease out of her shoulders slightly. She hadn’t realised she’d been that tense. **“Tromell, please stand up.”** She couldn’t bear the bowing any longer. The man seemed to falter for a second before rising, his hands clasping in front of him in much the same way Anima’s had moments ago. **"What you did all those years ago wasn’t right. But..."** Now these words were hard to push past her lips. She had thought about this a lot and the predicament Jyscal was in. **"I can...understand...why Jyscal did what he did."** The attitude towards Seymour had caused the boy a lot of problems. His father seemed to lose interest in him in favour of his work, the Guado's actions were abhorrent and while Seymour had never come to any serious harm, both he and Anima had felt like their lives had been in danger. If Jyscal hadn't sent them away, a civil war might have occured. Did that excuse the Guado's actions towards either of them? No. However, a part of her, dare she admit to even herself, understood what Jyscal had done to her and Seymour all those years ago. The rising tension and his position had made it difficult. **“My actions…certainly did not help him. You are certainly not all to blame for how he turned out. Though it was a significant factor....”** Her and Jyscal’s actions were far more to blame than Tromell’s. **"You were one of the handful of Guado that didn't seem to make his life difficult. You and your wife."**

It did not mean she agreed with it. Or what he did was right.

_“Well…I…”_ The man seemed to falter for words. He seemed torn. How much did he know about what her and Seymour had gone through? How much had Jyscal divulged to his retainer? Anima was hesistant to ask, for fear of having to explain everything. To have the pain, the anguish, the guilt and the rage wash over her again and again and again, like waves continously hitting against stone, slowly whittling it down. Anima wasn’t sure she could bear it again. _“I think…we have a lot to talk about.”_ With that, when she blinked, her eyes closed for a second longer than normal, almost in relief. She let out a small sigh as a sign of relief. He didn't seem angry at her. Or like he was going to cast her out. _“But first, let me put on some tea.”_ Anima smiled, a soft chuckle escaping her, it was slightly awkward, but a very genuine sound. Relief pulled at her features.

**“That is the best thing I’ve heard in months.”**

And so, Tromell put on some tea. The Guado always seemed to have a way with tea and Anima had never found anywhere that it anywhere near as good. The fragrance seemed to renew her with vigor and energy she didn’t know she needed. Her hands wrapped around the teacup, embracing the warmth as it seeped into her hands and into her wrist. How much she missed tea. The smell, the heat, the soothing taste. The pair sat in silence, the teapot sat on the table in between them, steam rising from their cups as they slowly drank.

The silence was a little strained, but comfortable none-the-less. Anima understood why. She would’ve been foolish to think it wouldn’t have been all these years. But Tromell seemed like he’d thought a lot about what he’d done over the years and his reaction had certainlty instilled a new sense of hope within her.

_“Lady Anna, I realise it’s not much to repair anything that I have done in the past, but please, if you have nowhere to go, stay here. There are plenty of rooms and honestly…these walls could use some company.”_ Her teacup was on it’s way towards her mouth when Tromell spoke again. It stopped before it even touched her lips. Blue eyes watched Tromell for a solid minute over the edge of her teacup, pale pink lips parted slightly, in shock and to anticipate the teacup. **“Tromell,”** She lowered the teacup to the saucer, letting it clink and slide into place before continuing. **“I couldn’t. It would be such an intrusion.”** Her voice was earnest. She could find another place to stay. Luca was so full of life, she was sure she could find a place to stay there. Maybe open up a flower shop or something, now that Sin was gone.

_“Nonsense! You would be most welcome here.”_ There was strength in his voice this time and it certainly took her aback. _“It is the least I could do, especially after you were sent away to that…to that…”_ And the strength slipped away. It seemed Tromell had a hard time talking about what had happened as Anima did. Perhaps one day they’d both get to the point where they could talk about it freely without one of them wandering off mid sentence. He must have known where her and Seymour had been sent to. Jyscal must have told him, of all people. There was another awkward silence. _“Please, m’lady, consider it at least.”_ The strength hadn’t returned to his voice, but there was definitely an earnestness to it. At least he was giving her a chance to consider it.

Anima nodded. **“I shall…I shall consider it.”** Tromell gave a slight nod, a small smile on his lips. Small victories. **“But I shall stay at the inn tonight. I have inconvenienced you enough for today.”** He was about to protest, the smile gone off his lips, when Anima put up a hand to silence him. **“I won’t hear another word of it.”** She took a sip of them while Tromell pressed his lips together, clearly displeased about it but respecting her wishes all the same.

**“You always did make amazing tea.”** The smile was back again and Anima couldn’t help but smile back. Tromell took a sip of his own, his long fingers looking like they were too big to hold the delicate teacup. **“Now tell me, what has changed since the Calm has started?”** Hopefully this would bring up less painful memories than before that. Tromell took another sip of tea, clearly contemplating what he was going to say and how. He only started speaking when he’d placed the teacup back on it’s saucer.

_“Well..where do I begin?”_


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anna comes to her decision about Tromell's offer.

It _was_ a long story. 

They must have been sat there for hours. The Guado man that had greeted Anima at the door had refilled their tea several times during the evening. At some point, Anima wasn’t sure when, he brought in some food for them. Anima barely noticed the man come in and out, focusing so much on what Tromell was telling her. Anima had nibbled as Tromell spoke. Her appetite wasn’t fully back to normal. Before becoming a Fayth, she had made sure Seymour had eaten enough to keep him at as healthy as possible. Some days it had been at the expense of going hungry herself. It hadn’t been much then and her disease hadn’t made her feel like eating much anyway. Being a Fayth meant she hadn’t needed to eat and even when she visited Dream Zanarkand, she knew what she was eating wasn’t real. Despite appearing back in Spira as a normal human again, it seemed her appetite had not yet returned to what it was. It had been a struggling to get back to eating again after not needing to for so long and there had been days when she’d simply forgotten. Perhaps it was a side-effect of what she’d been through, but part of her hoped her appetite would return to normal eventually. Tromell ate too, but as he was doing most of the talking, the mouthfuls were few and far between. 

Throughout his retelling of Spira’s past 2 years, Anima peppered him with questions. He mostly told it from a Guado perspective, and it was only through her questioning that he expanded on certain events. She wasn’t entirely surprised the Farplane became unstable but wasn’t entirely clear on why. Whether Tromell knew or not, he made no comment. The Guado had always been rather secretive about how the Farplane had worked and it didn’t seem as if much had changed in that regard. It sounded like it had been fixed, partially. Anima knew from first-hand experience how unstable the Farplane had gotten. Regardless, the Guado were the best keepers for it. Their sense of the unsent and their knowledge of the Farplane gave them a distinct advantage above the rest of them. She wondered if it would ever go back to the way it was. Or if the Guado had never left their home, would it have gotten this bad at the start? Whatever power the Guado had over the Farplane and the souls that lay inside, it was a secret they’d all take to their graves.

When he finally finished, Anima could feel sleep clawing at the back of her mind. Her eyes urged her to fall asleep in the chair she sat in but she refused. She resisted the urge to rub her eyes like a child. _“I feel that is enough for one night, m’lady.”_ Whether he could sense how tired she was growing or was feeling tired himself, Anima wasn’t sure, but she nodded. Standing up, she felt a knee click and her legs protest after being sat down for so long. She could feel the weariness seeping into the rest of her body. Her days as a Fayth had stopped the rampant illness from taking over the rest of her body, but it hadn't made her young again. She hadn’t stopped to think whether her body would like sitting down for so long. She couldn’t help but wonder if her illness would come back now, but she resisted the urge to start dwelling on it. It was a thought for a different time and one she had dwelled on for far too long already. **“You can tell me the rest of your tale tomorrow.”** Tromell nodded, bowing slightly as he gestured for her to follow him out. He saw her right to the entrance of the inn and bade her goodnight.

Thankfully, the inn still had rooms for the night, which meant she didn’t have to wander back to the mansion. Not that she could imagine Tromell turning her away, but it might chip away at her pride a little bit to do so. Once she had settled into the bed, sleep pulled at her body. However, it wasn’t insomnia that stopped her from falling asleep within seconds of getting into bed, it was the proposal that Tromell had given her. Her mind raced at the thought of it. What would she do? It would make visiting the areas around Guadosalam a lot easier. It had been years since she had last seen the Moonflow at night. Even longer since she had seen Macalania Temple. She knew the Fayth were no more, but perhaps she could visit the statue to pay her respects. She wondered how Bevelle was doing these days and how much it had changed. Did Yevon still hold a grip on it? Would those that knew of her chase her out? What could she do with her life? She hadn’t used her white magic in years, let alone be able to wield anything to defend herself, she was beginning to realise how lost she might be.

And that thought unnerved her.

At every major point in her life, what she did and who she was, in part, was decided for her. Her talent in white magic meant that she was to teach the next generation and to heal the wounded. Even the trouble she’d gotten herself into helping the less fortunate had sent her to the other temples. It had felt like her father wanted to keep an a close on eye her even if she wasn’t in the same city as him. She was put into an arranged marriage with Jyscal, in a hope that their marriage would bridge the gap between the two races. While Anima had certainly had feelings for the man, it wasn’t as if she’d had much choice in the matter. Her marriage had reeked of Yevon’s interference looking back on it and it made sense to marry off a devout Yevonite to the Guado. Seymour had felt like the first thing that had been mostly her choice. Hers and Jyscal’s.

What she didn’t expect was to be hated for it. To be treated like dirt, with Seymour being treated even worse for what he was. He couldn’t help it. She had done the best she could with keeping him safe but eventually it had gotten too much for even Jyscal to deal with. They’d had no choice but to go to Baaj. Training Seymour in the Summoner’s ways and eventually journeying to Zanarkand had been the second major choice that Anima had really had in life. But what had that led to? Even her own sending and Seymour’s eventual death hadn’t been her choice. When she had explained her case to Yuna, it was Yuna’s choice as to accept or not. The doing of the act that was still out of her control. Being a Fayth meant she couldn’t have been sent. Her choice to ask Yuna to end Seymour’s suffering could have easily been ignored if fallen on the wrong ears.

She’d barely had any choice in major life decisions, but now she did. And it was keeping her awake. She tossed and turned at the thought of what she should do. It couldn’t hurt her to stay in Guadosalam for a little while longer. At least until she figured out what she wanted to do and to figure out a general direction in life. But what if some of the Guado still held a grudge..? What if her presence in Guadosalam set off another set of rumblings? She hoped Tromell wouldn’t do what Jyscal had done and forcefully eject her from the mansion, but the thought lingered. Times had indeed changed, but there was a discomfort in her chest over the thought of a similar thing happening. At least if it happened again, she would not have a child to think about.

Eventually, Anima drifted off. Somewhere amongst the worry and anxiety, she must had drifted off. She awoke feeling somewhat refreshed and got herself ready. She took thing steadily, thinking about what she was to do. She was still mulling over the decision when she went out in search of some breakfast. Her gut told her to stay. Her heart doubted her gut and told her to leave Guadosalam altogether. The thought of doing the latter made her feel guilty after telling Tromell she’d come back with a decision. 

Before she knew it, she was at the front doors to the mansion and they were already being opened. Anima hadn’t realised she’d wandered up to the doors, having been lost in thought all the way there. She come back to reality with a start and figured it was too late to turn back now. It would seem rude if she did. She was no closer to an answer now then she was when she’d left the inn. Maybe breakfast in the mansion would help her choose. It seemed as if Tromell was awake already, for not a couple of minutes went by when he appeared through one of the other doors. One of the other Guado must have told him she had arrived. _“My Lady Anna, it’s nice to see you again.”_ One arm went across his midriff as he bowed. **“Please, Tromell, I don’t think there is any need for formalities at this stage.”** That seemed to fluster him slightly. He had always been polite to everyone he met. Formalities were part of what he did. Anima supposed it must be hard habit for him to break, especially amongst those he’d usually address formally. 

_“Have you…made your decision?”_ Anima knew the question coming and as soon as Tromell asked it, she felt dread in the pit of her stomach. She swallowed the doubts that felt like they were bubbling up in her throat. **“Perhaps I would be more inclined to answer after some breakfast.”** It was an attempt to put off answering the question for a moment longer. It was also rather presumptuous of her to assume she could have breakfast here, but she was willing to give it a shot. **“If that is okay with you, of course?”** She asked this quickly, realising that it was rather rude of her to assume she could eat here rather than somewhere else. The Inn hadn’t provided anything to eat and the innkeeper was a strange one to boot. Something about riddles and clues. _“Of course!”_ Tromell warbled. _“In truth, I have yet to eat myself and it would be nice to have some company.”_ That helped her relax. She had more to formulate an answer. 

Tromell let the way into one of the back rooms. The table loaded with fruits didn’t look like it had changed a day. She knew the fruits would have been changed, but a small part of her wondered if it was fake. It looked almost too perfect. _“Please, have a seat, Lady Anna.”_ He gestured towards one of the seats and almost pulled it out for her. Thankfully, she got there before he could attempt such a gesture. Part of her shrivelled at the thought of anyone doing that sort of gesture for her. She wasn’t anyone important to deserve such a thing.

Breakfast came and went. Anima picked at her food, popped a couple of grapes in her mouth at the very least. She was aware that her eyes would frequently glaze over as she thought about things. Her mind finally came to an answer, even though her stomach rumbled with unease and threatened to metaphorically flip over. She could see Tromell watching her out of the corner of her eye. He must have been wondering what was going through her mind. She slowly chewed another grape, not realising he was talking her. Her eyes were glued to a certain spot on the table, not really looking at it.

_“-dy Anna?”_

That was when she snapped back to reality. The name still seemed strange to her ears and it would take a while for her to adjust accordingly. She had introduced herself to Anima to all the other Fayth and to Yuna when they had first met. Tromell was the first person to call her by her given name in nearly 20 years.

**“Hm? Oh, Tromell, I’m so sorry, I was off in my own little world.”** She tried to brush off the fact that she was worrying about something with a soft laugh and a smile. _“It’s quite alright, my dear. I asked if you had anything on your mind. You’ve been quite distracted this morning.”_ Her plan had failed. Had it been that obvious that there was something on her mind? Who was she kidding? The fact that she had been barely listening to Tromell speaking was telling enough considering how much attentions she was paying last night. There was no point lying to him either. Even if she told him it was nothing, she knew he wouldn’t push, but he’d keep an eye on her. She knew that much.

**“I’ve been weighing up your offer and I’m in two minds about it.”** Her gaze dropped to the table, her hands moving from the table to her lap. Her fingers brushed against the fabric of her dress. It felt almost too soft against her finger tips. **“My mind is telling me one thing and my heart is telling me another.”** A confession of something she’d felt best to keep private. The thought of Tromell thinking her stupid made her want to stop talking. She knew it was nonsense and yet the thought still prevailed. She took a deep breath and did her best to try and ignore the feeling. His intentions were well. He had always been a kind man, even if his beliefs were different. If he had spoken out against Jyscal’s decisions, would he have been dismissed. For a considerable period, he had agreed with what Seymour had done, had he done the same with Jyscal too? That thought only fuelled the small part of her mind that wanted to decline the offer and run.

She realised her eyes were beginning to glaze over and mentally shook it off before looking up. Her fingertips dug into her leg. She hoped she wasn’t making the wrong decision. **“I will stay with you. If only for a time. If only until I get back on my feet and find my purpose in Spira again.”** Her voice sounded more confident than she felt. She spoke as if she’d had one before. In a sense, she figured she had had a purpose before, though it was one that had been given to her by others and not one chosen by her own hand. Perhaps this time, she’d allow herself to chose something. If one thing didn’t work out, she could always try something else. 

_“This is marvellous news! I’ll have a bed made up for you.”_ His hands clasped in front of him. Joy seemed to radiate off him. A small part of her relaxed, realising that he seemed genuinely glad that she was staying. It was probably for the best. Staying it inns across Spira was going to be ineffective in the long term and she needed someone permanent to lay her head. This would be a perfect opportunity for her to figure how what she wanted to. Tromell seemed different from the last time they had met, so had the rest of the Guado. 

Tromell’s tale about what had happened with Seymour had filled in the gaps that Anna had had in her memory. Hearing things from Yuna and Seymour had put two different spins on the story and Anna knew better than to believe either of them fully. Perhaps the Guado had started to repent for the suffering they had caused all those years ago. Perhaps what happened with Seymour had finally made them realise the error of their ways. That and…being hated and ostracised by the rest of Spira. A small part of her had revelled in the fact that they had finally known how Seymour had felt when they had treated him with disdain growing up. That feeling got pushed down deep inside of her. It wasn’t good to think on such things. 

Tromell pushed himself up to go, his chair making a soft noise as it as pushed back, obviously intending to get things sorted before realising that he was essentially leaving Anna on her own. _“Uh…”_ He fumbled between wanting to sit back down with her and go and sort things out. She could see his eyes dart between her and over his shoulder. **“It’s fine, Tromell. Go and do whatever you need to do. I would offer my assistance, but I feel I would only get in your way. I will sit here and finish my breakfast in the meantime.”** She leaned back into her chair, trying to let the feeling of relaxation take over her. Hands folded on her lap. The movement didn’t help make her feel any more relaxed. He seemed somewhat relieved. A hand went over his chest as he bowed. _“When you are finished, please make yourself at home.”_ He left and Anna was left alone once again. 

This time felt a little different. This time she didn’t have a rising sense of panic in her chest and her stomach wasn’t summersaulting with the thought of what was coming next. 


End file.
